Engine.



PATENTE'D MAR. 10, 1908..

0. V. MARTIN.

ENGINE.

AP-PLIOATIQN FILED FEB. 26, 1906.

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No. 881,428. PATENTED 4110, 1908. c. v. MARTIN.

' ENGINE. v APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, 1906. 3 SHEETS SHEBT r if 69 T 103 7 J 8 a 36 A 2/ /z J 4 i' i. L 18 29 J6 J1 Z7 16,

y I V I A TITO/{NE 1 5 188881 128. PATENTED MAR. 10, 1908.

8 0. v. MARTIN. ENGINE APPLICATION FILED 3.26 1906.

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- UNITED 'srnrns 'PATENTDFFICE CHARLES v. MARTIN, "or CHARLESTON, 'WESTYVIRGINIA.

ENGINE No. 881,428. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented March 10, 1908 Application filed February 26, 1906. Serial. No. 363,036.

sectional view of the same on the line 2-2 of Be 1t known that 1, CHARLES V.MARTI1 \T, Fig. 1. Fig.' 3 is a transverse sectional'view J a citizen of the UnitedfS't'ates, residing aton an enlarged scale through the inlet casin Charleston, iri'thecoun'ty'otK nawha and and ported inlet hub. ig. 4' is a'sectionifi 5 State of West Virginia, have lnventeda new view on anjenlarged scale of" the governing so and useful Engine, of which the following is a device. Fig. 5-is e modification of one of specification. v thesnction inlet-valves. Fig. Gis'asectional "This invention relates, to, rotary englnes, View illustrating the construction of the inand has for its principal objectto provide a letcasingfand hub employed Where a fluid 1 0' novel form of engine which; thefp rcezex underpressure'isused for drivin g'fthe en ine; 65 terted by the propell ng medmin, either a "Fig.7 is'a similar'jiiew of the exhaust" ub. fluid under pressure, or'an explos1ver'n1x'ture,-

is an elevation of'the'jeircuit closing may be utilized tothe'best-advantage, and device for the ignit'ers. i

, inwhich the enginemaybe fnadecompact, j Similar numeralsof reference are em- ;To all whom it may concern:

'15 and of a weight'much less than that'of ordi-n ployed to indicate corresponding parts 7o member-may be-in th'eform'of a belt Wheel these standards is nary engines of the samehor'se-powen, throughout theseveral figures of the. draw- A furthenobject of the nventlon is" to p'ro-f' ings. r vlde an enginefm which vlbratlon is reduced v he. engineis 'supported by a small frame to aminimum, and in which the revoluble includinga baselO and standards ll, and to a 'ri idly secured a crank 75- .or similartransmission-device, and which :shaft 12, having cranis thatare connected.- may be perfectly controlled' and run at. uniby a pair of diametrically opposed crank pins i'orm: speed without the necessrtyof employs '14 and 15, and as inthe present illustration,

' mg heavy-balance-wheels or'similar m'em'-"- the engineis 'rovided with four'cylinders,

bers,.such as areusually found necessary-in;v -the pistons 0 two of said cylinders being so.

allenginesJ i connected to the crank pin14, and the pis- Sim-further oblect h ventlon is to tons of the remaining two cylinders are conprovide a rotary engine'in ,'which the crank nected to the crank pin 15 said pistons being Y shaft and cranks arestationary, and epic designed to'operate in opposing pairs. The 'rality of cylinders-'havetheir. pistons cola-l cylinders:-17,'18, 19, and-20 are spaced at in- 85' nectedto the crank pins, and are carried by a tervals' of ninety degrees from eachother, f casing that is free to revolve,', and is moved the cylinder: '17 bein diametrically op osite a ound t e stationary c a haftthe cylinder 18, am the cylinder 19 eing A stillfurther object of the inventiomis to. diametrically opposite the cylinder 20. The provide a rotary engine of this type in-which' cylinders'containpistons 21', 22, 23, 24, re- 90 p ov s o d for s pplyinp'iand exhaustspectively, and the pistons 22 and 23' are ing' the ,power element, vand or controlling connected to crank p1n'14,'wvhilc the pistons 'the speed of the engine. 21'and241are connected tothe crank pin 15, 'With these and otherobjects in View, as so that-while pistons 21 and 22 are at the Q will. more "hereinafter appear, the .inlimit. of either inward or outward movement, 9 5 Vention' consists in certain'noyel features of the pistons 23 and24T'will be at half stroke, construction" and} arrangement of parts, or vice versa. The several cylinders are "hereinafter fully described,- illustrated-in the bolted or otherwise secured within a revol i accompanying drawings, and particularly ble cylindrical casing 26, that preferably is pointedout in the appended claims, it being formed of a number of sections to facilitate 10o ,vanta esof the invention.

, combustion engine ing. is a, transverse although it may understood that various changes in the form, the assembling of the parts, suitable spaces proportions 'size and minor details of the being formed around and between the sevstructure may be made without departing "er'al cylinders to permit the circulation of a from thespirit or sacrificing any ofthe-adcooling medium, such as air or water. The

p j cylindrical casing 26 serves as "a balance-' In t e accompanying drawings :'Figure 1 wheel, and, also, as a belt wheel from which -is a sectional elevation ct a rotary engine power may be transmitted directly to any constructed in accordance with the inven- "machinery to be;driven,-and said casing may tion and designed to be utiliied-as, an internal be of sui'licient wei ht to. serve as a regulator,

' l i be miich lighter than the 110.

' tively, suitable usual wheel employed for maintainin uniform action of ordinary single or doub e cylinder engines. The interior of the cylindrical casing 26 is divided by a circular partition 27 tains the exhaust valves, this outer space also serving as a jacketthrough which air, water or other cooling medium may be circulated in order to reduce the temperature of the cylinders.

The using 26 is provided with two hub members 29 and 30 that are mounted on the fixed crank shaft and are free to rotate thereon, and said hubs are provided with suitable passages for theadmission and exhaust of the actuating fluid or explosive mixture, and are surrounded by casings 31 and 32, respecpacking. rings 33 being intro du cedbetween the hubs andcasings to reduce leakage to a minimum. The casing 31 is connected to a source of supply from whichsteam, compressed air, or theexploslve mixture may be, allowed to flow, and from the casing the actuating fluid, whatever its nature, passes to the pressure ends of'the sev-" eral cylinders,-an'd after acting onthe pistons therein is allowed to escape by Way of the hub 30 and the stationary exhaust casing :32. The casing member 31 entirely surrounds the hub 29, and is provided with an annular chamber 35 through which an explosive mixture is supplied, and the hub has two laterally extending ports 36 and 37 whichare in communication with this chamber, and from each port lead two pipes, the pipes 3Sand 39 leading to the outer ends pi the cylinders 17 and 1-8, respectively, while the pipes 40 and 41 lead to the outer ends of the cylinders 19 and 20, respectively, and through these pipes the explosive mixture is drawn on the suction strokes of the pistons, two of the cyliin'lers taking the explosive mixture at the same time. in each of the ports 36 and 37 is a suction inlet valve 43 which 0 ens on the suction stroke against thestress o? a small spring as, the valve closing on the compression, working and exhaust strokes.

In order .to control the quantity otexplo siv'e mixture passing to the engine, valve casing 46 is interposed between the air or gas supply pipe 47 andthe hub casing 31, and in tlns valve casing is a seating ring 48 adapted for the reception of a spring closed valve 49 which is o )ened on the suction stroke, and through which a quantity of air is drawn, and at the same time a quantity or other hydro-carbmi is admitted through a pipe 50 leading nates at the valve seat 48, and is also under rotary casing of the engine, and as the speed,

of gasolene to a port 51 which termi-- senses 35 and be drawn through the ports and inlet pipes to the working ends of the cylinders.

The main suction inlet valve 49 is carried by a stem 52 that extends through a cylindrical casing 53 supported by the valve casing 46. The casing 53 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed slots 54 for the passage of two screws 55 that are carried by a loose ring 64. The screws 55 support the lower end of a-helical compression spring 57, the u er end of which bears against an ad-- justable nut 58 that is carried by the threaded upper end of the stem 52. This slstance offered to the opening movement of the valve may be increased or diminished to any desiredextent; The outer face of the casing 53 is provided with a pair of flanges 60 forming an annular groove or recess for the reception of a bevel pinion 61,- to thehub of which are secured'the upper ends of tw spring strips 62, and the lower ends of these strips are secured to 'a vertically movable collar 63 that is guided on the outer face of the casing 53. This collar 63 supports the ring 64, the latter being held down by the stress of the spring 57.- The bevel pinion 61 is engaged and actuated by a gear 61 on the increases, the strips 62 wl1 i ch carry governor weights 66, will move outward, the springs yielding and eflecting upward movement of the collar 63. ,As the collar moves up, it carries with it the spring supporting screw 55 andthe stress of the spring 57 willthereafter be increased, so as to ofl'er increased resistance to the opening movement of the Valve on the suction stroke, and if the s )eed of the engine is increased, the stress oi the spring may be so great as to prevent the opening movement of thevalve, so that no explosive mixture can pass to the cylinders. This quickly reduces the speed, and the governor weights will move inward, allowing the collar 63 to descend, and the spring resume its normal function. It will thus be seen that the resistance to the opening movement of the valve is proportioned to the speed of the engine, and as the speed increases the quantity of explosive mixture admitted will be lessened, while as the speed decreases, the quantity of explosive mixture admitted will increase. The suction stroke of each cylinder and piston will-occupy one- 12b half'of a revolution of the casing 26, and as each of the other strokes, compression, working, and exhaust, also occupy one-half of a revolution of the casing 26, it necessarily follows that with the crank pins arranged in the same vertical plane, the explosions must all "occur at the same point, i. (a, when the pair of cylinders containing compressed charges are'in the same vertical lane, The charges are exploded by sparring mcchspace of casing26 are arranged exhaust Th valve casings; 70, these being disposed'between the several cylinders andhaving their.

I axes on lines radiatmg from the center of the stationary shaft as shown in Fig. 1. Within each casing is a series of three partitions 71, 72, 73, dividin'gthe easing into a number partitions are of chambers 74, 75, 76 and 77'. All of theses provided" with openings, and

' the Walls 'of the openings are facedto form 1 -'much larger than-the others and constitutvalve seats,

and 81, the latter valve being mg the main exhaust valve. .All. of these tends to 'ploded gases may pass through the pipe 84 into the chamber 77,

valve 81, said valve being moved outw'ard to openposition: against the resistance offered 83, and when so moved, a shoulder-86 near the end-of the stem-82 is.

valves are carried by the same stem 82; and the stem extends out through a]. suitable guidingo ening in the end of the casing, and carries a elical compression spring 83 that maintain said valve in closed positlon. a

The inner chamber 77 is placed in communication with the cylinder, cylinder 17 for instance, through a pipe 84, and the cylinder port to which said pipe is connected is under the control of the piston 21, said port being opened when thepiston arrives at the end of its working stroke, so that the exand there act upon the by the a spring engaged by a catch-'87", and. the valveis held in open position. This movement-of 'the valve opens the valves .78 and.79 and closes the valve 80, while the'exhaust gases passing thr'ougli the pipe 84: into chamber 77 are free topass-i'nto thexchsmber 7 6', and thence through the pipe88 to the main exhaust. When the piston starts on its exhaust, or return-stroke, or rather when the cylinder17 in revolving gases betwe n the piston and the working end of the cy inder will beforced out, through a pipe 89 into the chamber 75, and as valve 78 is opened, these gases pass intochamber 74 and thence through an escape port 90, into the main escapepipe 88, so that all of the exhaust gases will be forced from the cylinder. The catch 87' is pivoted on the inner portion of the hub 29 and it carries an arm 92, on which is. mounted a roller 93, and this roller engages a cam 94 thatfis rigidly secured to the stationary crank shaft, so that as the cylinder 17 moves from position, the roller will engage thecam and catch 87 will be tripped, releasing the shoulder 86 and 'allowingthe spring 83 to again move the exhaust valve to closed position,and said valve there being a pluralityof valves much smaller-area than the port 112.

eifects the same movement, the

;Will remain closed until the end of the next working, stroke, this position not being afiected by thegases, or explosive mixture of' the cylinder at the,

e several exhaust pipes 88 extend to ports 95 in the hub 30, and thence pass to an annular chamber 96 in the hub casing 32, andfrom the latter. the gases may flow through a main discharge 100.

end of thesuction strokeQ Insteadof placing the suction inlet valves I 43 1n the ports 36 and 37, they ma be located; adjacent to theinner ends of t e pipes 38, 39 and 40 and 41', as shown for instance at '43 in Fig. 5, the valves in this case being carried y arms 101 that are pivoted in recesses in the inner'walls of the inlet pipes, so that the valves may be normally held in closed position, and, if necessary, light springs'may be used to insure closing when the pressures on the opposite sides of the valve are equal.

When the engine is to be operated by steam, air or other fluid under pressure, the

. annular chamber 35 surrounding the inlet filled by a block 105, which, in

port is partly I connection with a second block 106, divides the space35 into two distinct steamchambers 107 and 108, and these have port communication with a valve chamber 109 in which is arranged a combined throttle and reversing valve 1.10. The main ste m pipe 111 communicates with the valve 0 amber 109, and the valve 110 is provided with two ports'112 and 113, the port- 113 beingflpf valve 110 is carried by a stem that extends outward through a suitable .stufiing box at -;the end of the valve chamber, and is provided with. a handle 1 14, which, if necessary,

,may be connected toj a suitable governing mechanism, so that it may be adjusted in accordance with the speed of the engine. When the parts are in the position shown 1n --Fig. 6; steam will pass from the main pipe 111 through the valvechamber and valve and port 113 to the'steam chamber 107, and

come opposite the'chamber 107, they will receive steam which is directed to the pairs of cylinders; By moving the valve 110, the efl'ective area of the port 113 may be reduced'in order to throttle the steam as the speed increases, or by moving the handle114 to the opposite-position, the port 113 maybe adjusted in' order to allowthe steam to pass When itis desired to utilize air as a cooling The escape I 1 10 I as the ports 36 and 3-7 of the revoluble hub air willenter the openings 102, and after ciry culating around the cylinders, will escape.

medium for the internal combustion engine,

the wall of the-revoluble casing is provided with air inlets 102, at a point adjacent to the annular partition 27, and with air outlets103 adjacent to the periphery of the casing, and within the casing suitable deflecting plates 104 maybe employed for the purpose of directing the air against thecylinders. The

through the openings 103, and, if necessary,

the walls of these openings may be inclined in order to facilitate the entrance and discharge of the current of air. The sparking devices may be supplied with current 1n an r suitable manner, and a controller of the character shown in Fig. 8 may be employed for this purpose. In this case the revoluble disk 1.10 is carried by the hub of the casing, and on said disk is arranged a plurality ,of sets of contacts 111 that are ar-' ranged to engage contact brushes 112- disposed in, airs and insulated from each other, the brus es being carried'by two arms of a T-shaped lever 113 that is pivoted o n'a pin 114" carried by the stationary frame. The third arm of this leveris disposed between a pair of adjustable screws 115 which serve to limit its movement and to permit the adjustv:rnent necessary for properly timing the spark. The brushes are preferably so arranged that one of each pair is connected tothe positive pole of a battery, and the other to the negative pole, while the contact lates 111 of the disk are connected by suitab e conductors to the sparking devices at the ends of the explosion chambers. It is obvious that any form of sparking mechanism may be 'employed, and that the number of contacts and their arrangement will depend-on thenumber of cylinders and the distance which separates them.

In many cases the cylinders instead of being slightly out of alinement, as shown in Fig.

' 2, maybe placed with their axes in the same plane, in order to lessen vibration, and while the pistons havebeen shown as operating in pairs, it is obvious that they may operate in successive order if desired, so that a number ofiimpulses may be given during each complete rotation of the casing.

I claim:

r 1 In a rotary engine, the combination w th supports, ofa fixed crank shaft carried thereby, a casing having ported inlet and exhaust hubs revolubly mounted on the shaft, an annular partition dividing the interior of the easing into a central crank chamber, and an annular compartment, cylinders support- ,ed by the casing and having their inner ends opening into, the crank chamber, exhaust valve mechanism arranged in the annular compartment between the cylinders, there being ports or passages through which comrnunication is established between the cylinders andthe inlet hub and exhaust valve mechanism, respectively, exhaust valve stems extending into the crank chamber, and

-means arranged within such crank chamber for engaging and actuating said stems.

2. In an internal combustlon engine, a support,- a stationary crank shaft carried thereby a revoluble casing mounted on the cranr shaft and, having ported inlet and exhaust hubs, a stationary inlet chamber surrounding the-inlet hub, a governor controlled valve at the entrance port of the inlet chamber, independent suction inlet valves controlling the passage of the ex losive charges from the in-' let chamber to tie ports of the inlet hub, a plurality of cylinders carried by the casing,

pistons arranged in the cylinders-and connected to the crank shaft, there being ports CHARLES V. MARTIN.

Witnesses: I

Jim. W. MAIRs, W. T. CHANDLER. 

